Real Estate Your Opinion - The iHOUSE Blog

I found some food for thought for all the real estate professionals out there who are evaluating their career and even doing some soul searching. This post addresses the idea of a personal board of directors, those people in your life you can count on for guidance and advice. This concept is not going to need a conference room to assemble your board, instead ask them to go for a cup of coffee or a walk as a time to share their ideas/advice about your next move. Check it out, and give it a shot.

While looking at the horrendous pictures on the MLS is still disturbingly amusing, it is still shocking that both agents and sellers promote a house in such horrible conditions. The agent is in a very tough situation with a seller who is a pack rat or generally unresponsive to the idea of improving a homes appearance. Here are some tips to getting good photos even with an uncooperative seller.

A. Be informative. If a client seems uncomfortable, as you begin to clear counters off and remove “stuff” from a shot, you can explain the tried and true rule, buyers want to see themselves in the house, and their stuff will go right back u once the shot has been taken.

B. Get the money shot. Skip rooms or areas that are a real chore, and stick with kitchens and bathrooms. Please do not show a picture of a hallway, that is just lame and no one cares. Consult photography websites or design for tips/ideas on lighting, positioning, etc.

C. Be kind, but be smart. Clutter is often someone’s secret shame, so be tactful. Offer them referrals to cleaning services and storage facilities, after all they are moving anyway, why not get a jump on it. Be honest but not brutal. Talk about the house, not their things inside of it, if at all possible.

Help! I have been bombarded with “The rates are great”, and “You can’t beat the prices right now” by everyone and their mother (including mine). As a single, 20 something professional, I have a LOT to loose but potentially so much more to gain. I’d have to become house poor and my perpetually nomadic self would be committed to being in a location for years. (eek!) But above all, I am scared that I would be in over my head and beyond my means.

So, why should I buy and give up my great life of dinners with friends, San Francisco sunsets, and discretionary income for a mortgage, more home costs, and stress, because right now I’m just not that into a house if this is the pro/con list. For more success stories check out this Newsweek article.

Is this a golden opportunity that I will kick myself for not taking advantage of? Note that this is the same question many first time buyers are pondering themselves.

Craigslist is wonderful! It is a place where one can go and easily find everything from tools, to dates, to cars, to homes. We all know there are some real “gems” on Craigslist, especially in the real estate section. While creating a listing that doesn’t illicit any responses other that “leave it” is quite easy, creating one that will have your phone ringing off the hook, is more of an art form. Mastering Craigslist might just be worth its weight in commissions!

After posting a listing on Craigslist, and not getting stellar results right away, I wondered what I was doing wrong. My pictures were great, the description was short but effective, I included all the perks. But it just sat there. And then I thought that the keywords could be off. Or maybe the title. Do you use the same keywords you use for SEO? Is there some type of Craiglist silver bullet?

So, I went searching to find out. Here’s what I have found

Just a little FYI to those of you posting real estate: We have all figured out that quaint, charming, and cozy are code for old and small. So, break out that thesaurus and start posting!

REALTORS® are known for not being the best of colleagues when it comes to competition, but with Internet sites like Realtown, we are seeing REALTOR® from all across the country sharing decades of knowledge, advice, and opinions. Real Estate professionals are dishing about everything from the best smart phone, how to deal with referrals, and tons of opinions on the current state of the market.

Sites like these point to a shift in the sense of competition. REALTORS® are not viewing others as anything other than colleagues (well there are always a few rivals). This shift raises many questions. Does the online space reflect a sense of camaraderie instead of rivalry? Does distance play the key role? Or maybe it is as simple as turning to those who know your industry best in times of need. It is so difficult to seem weak and vulnerable in your own office or your own town, the Internet gives people a place to voice their fears and opinions.

The entrepreneurial spirit is very prevalent in the real estate industry. Small business are often the hardest to get off the ground and require dedication and sweat equity. While many business’ in the real estate industry have suffered based on the local impact of the current market, many areas and business are still thriving.

If you or your company are looking for a way to lend a helping hand, not a hand out click here to learn more about micro-loans. Knowing how much you local community and economy affect your business, make a pledge to give a loan ( as little as $25 which is matched) to a small business in mostly developing countries, creating a steady source of income and increased strength to their local economy.

If you spend time online browsing around real estate industry sites and forums, you will undoubtedly notice a plethora of posts, comments, and threads will the likes of these phrases “I’ve been in the industry for twenty years and…” or “In my experience, a market like this will….” and “this reminds me a lot of ____in 1983″.

After reading this post, I started thinking about all the young or just slightly younger real estate professionals. As we all know, real estate can often be a second career, so having 1, 2, or even 5 years experience in your 20’s might put you behind a rookie colleague who happens to be a decade older than you.

While the tips in the article are targeted towards corporate newbies, the advice still applies to younger real estate agents. What it really boils down to is confidence in yourself, your abilities, your experience, and your professional opinion. Because in the end, you are the expert…but if you are not, try to find a mentor and hone your skills and you’ll be one before you know it!

Go get ‘em kids!

Squidoo has a great new function for real estate agents. Become the Mayor of your zip code and put all of your local knowledge to good use!

Click Here to take survey about today’s real estate agents. Tell us about you and your local market!

My favorite part of real estate is seeing a house in its crowning glory (aka open houses/showings). It makes owners so proud and it is exciting to see potential buyers imagine living their life in that home.

My least favorite part is the polarity of the sense of timing in the process. There is all this time consulting with Mortgage brokers, and telling agents what you want, and then a buyer is expected to pounce on a property, then things slow up again all the way through long closes and escrow. It’s like stop and go traffic. I think we will see a overall slowing in the process as the market corrects. Lenders will be more prudent, buyers will want to see ALL their options, and will be able to really weigh what a property offers for the price.

Feel free to share your thoughts…